Art from UNL’s Lentz Collection for Asian Culture is on display in a new exhibition space within Love Library.

The exhibit, “The Lentz Collection: Celebrating the Diverse Cultures and Artistic Traditions of Asia,” will be on display for three years on the second floor of Love Library South, Room 218. A First Friday reception is planned for 5 to 8 p.m. Feb. 6.

The exhibit showcases a small selection of 34 unique artifacts from the collection held by the Lentz Center for Asian Culture. Don and Velma Lentz and the University of Nebraska Foundation established the Lentz Center in 1984.

Don Lentz (1908-1987) was a retired faculty member and director of the UNL band from 1937 to 1973. He developed an interest in Asian music, which he researched on trips to Asia. His research led to a passion for collecting Asian art and artifacts.

The purpose of the Lentz collection is to showcase the rich and varied cultures within Asia. Over the years, alumni and donors contributed gifts of Asian art and artifacts to grow the collection.

In addition to the main exhibit, there are two other exhibits in Love Library on the second floor of Love South and Love North:

• “Selected Ceramics and Books from the Lentz Collection” through March 27; and

• “Nature Through Art,” by the Great Plains Chapter of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, through March 13.

All exhibits are open and accessible during the hours Love Library is open. For more information on Love Library, click here.